Cook Like a Rock Star - Anne Burrell [12]
High-quality balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
8 ounces Gorgonzola Dolce, at room temperature
½ cup walnuts, quartered and toasted)
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2 Slice the figs in half lengthwise, place them on a baking sheet, and dig a little hole in the middle with your pinky finger. Drizzle the fig halves with 2 or 3 drops of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt.
3 Fill each fig with Gorgonzola and top with a quarter of a walnut. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Fig out!
Chicken Liver Pâté with Balsamic Onions
SERVES: 6 TO 8 • TIME: ABOUT 45 MINUTES
I learned how to make this recipe in Tuscany, and who knew all these funky ingredients put together could taste SOOOOO delightful? Chicken livers? Anchovies? Capers? Believe it or not, all these super-strong personalities come together to make one really delicious pâté—and it’s so easy. Top this combo with some onions braised in balsamic vinegar and you’ve got yourself a super Tuscan!
MISE EN PLACE
FOR THE ONIONS
Extra virgin olive oil
3 onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1 cup balsamic vinegar
FOR THE PÂTÉ
Extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons capers
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 pound chicken livers, rinsed
1 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt
1 baguette, cut into ½-inch slices, toasted or grilled
FOR THE ONIONS
1 Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil, add the onions, and season with salt; bring the pan to medium-high heat. Cover and sweat the onions for 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft and beginning to color.
2 Add the balsamic vinegar and cook, uncovered, for another 20 minutes or until it becomes syrupy. Taste and reseason if needed. Remove from the heat and set aside.
FOR THE PÂTÉ
1 Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil and add the anchovies, capers, and garlic. Bring to medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the anchovies dissolve, 3 to 4 minutes.
2 Add the chicken livers, turn the heat to high, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and cook for 4 to 5 more minutes or until the wine has reduced by half; the mix will still be pretty soupy.
3 Transfer the mixture to a food processor and purée until smooth. Season with a little salt and loosen with a little olive oil if needed. Schmear each toast with the pâté and top with the balsamic onions to serve.
Killer! Chopped liver!
If you have leftover balsamic onions, these are yummy on sandwiches or on their own—they add a sweet-sour tang to lots of thangs!
Peperonata with Goat Cheese
SERVES: 6 TO 8 • TIME: ABOUT 30 MINUTES
For me, peppers are the gift that keeps on giving. Whenever I eat a roasted pepper it seems to stay with me forever. My sister, who’s a dietician, told me it’s because they have so little acid in them. Knowing this, I came up with a way to do two cool things—eat peppers without having them stick around all day and make a yummy peperonata—simply by adding a bit of sherry vinegar (a.k.a. acid) to the mix.
The vinegar adds a lovely brightness to this dish, and the pimentón (smoked paprika) gives it a rich smokiness—both of which are unbelievably good with the creaminess of the goat cheese. Of course, you don’t have to serve this with goat cheese the way I do; you can make a batch of peperonata just to have in the fridge to throw on a sandwich—like a condiment—or to pull out and serve on bread when someone comes over for a drink. This is one of my personal super-secret flavor weapons!
MISE EN PLACE
Extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, cut into ½-inch dice
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, pith removed, and cut into ½-inch diamonds
¼ cup tomato paste
½ teaspoon pimentón (smoked paprika)
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 8- to 10-ounce log of goat cheese, at room temp
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish (optional)
1 baguette, cut into ½-inch slices, toasted or grilled
1 Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil, add the onions and red pepper, season